Wednesday, July 25, 2012

If Only...

I can just make out the shape of the building rising beyond the trees. Mist is beginning to make it's way into the forest and I can feel myself slowing down. Three days on the run and the bandage is soaked with blood again. I am unsteady on my feet and the uneven ground causes me to pitch forward. The taste of dirt mixes with blood as I lay there, trying to catch my breath.

Will they find me this time? Am I finally safe?

Fear forces me to stand. Dragging my injured leg behind me, I focus on each painful step as I stumble down the dirt path leading to the forest entrance. Every drop of blood I leave behind can lead the dogs to me. If only I can make it to the sanctuary I might have a chance. If only. My mind drifts through a sea of if onlys and what might have been. If only I had never met Kyle. If only I hadn't decided he could be trusted. If only I hadn't been in the wrong place at the wrong time, none of this would have happened and I wouldn't be running for my life. If only...

12 comments:

Hi Diane! You know I live by the pictures. I came across this one last night and it started talking to me. With everything else going on in my life now I should have told it to be quiet but of course I had to write it down...lol...

Thanks, Heather, for the kind words. I'm working on picture books, a middle grade novel, and two young adult novels so I don't have time at the moment to work on this one but that doesn't stop the voices in my head...;0)

Hi Susanne! You know, everyone's comments about today's blog has got me thinking. Maybe I should turn some of this into a short story instead of wondering if I need to make a novel out of it. I've never written a short story before so it would be interesting to see if I would need to handle it differently. Definitely something to think about...;0)